Cat's Eye View
by Sailor Elf
Summary: As the Beast investigates a series of attacks, he meets a young female mutant who takes interest in him. Little does he know that she's got big plans for him.
1. Scene Set

Disclaimer – The X-men characters don't belong to me. Never will no matter how much I hope. Though Kat, Jenny plus any other original characters are mine!

Summary – As the Beast investigates a series of attacks, he meets a young female mutant who takes interest in him. Little does he know that she's got big plans for him.

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Cat's Eye View

A man strode down the street, the sun slowly setting at his back. He began to hum to himself as he began to glance in the direction of the city park. He soon stopped when some nearby bushes began to quiver. Even despite the fact they were on the other side of the fence, it still made him nervous.

"Who's there?" he called out.

When he didn't get an answer, he began to quicken his pace. He continued to glance over his shoulder, hoping that whatever was behind him would leave. He ran past the park gate when he felt something press against his back. He slammed into the ground, unable to move anywhere.

"Let me alone!" he managed to cry out.

"Never!" a raspy voice came.

The man tried to cry out but a ball of fur filled his mouth so any cries he managed to get out couldn't be easily heard. The figure pulled him into the shadows of the park and his whimpers slowly disappeared.

00000

"Why are we here again?" Wolverine asked.

"We're here to investigate the recent attacks on people. It might be a mutant intent on giving a lesson in a style of his or her own. I asked you to join me for I was hoping to see if you picked up any scents. It's a possbility we could run into them later," the Beast explained.

Wolverine snorted, crossing his arms. He eyed they area to pass the time when he thought he saw something move in the bushes. He stepped towards the green leaves, his claws unsheathing along the way when something jumped out at him. The cat landed on the ground before him, hissed and scampered off.

"Are you sure that's not what you're lookin' for Hank? A mischievous feline like that one could make some people blow everythin' out of proportion," Wolverine wondered, a smile crossing his face.

The Beast shook his head in reply, carefully watching the cat as it moved along the field. He wanted something a bit more tangible for evidence and the cat wasn't exactly what he was looking for.

"I feel there's something going on here. Something that I fear will be very dangerous when we encounter it," Beast mused.

"Whatever you say Hank," Wolverine smirked.

The two remained for a few more minutes before they began to head back to the mansion, never noticing the cat stop near the trees and watch them carefully. The small creature ran into the forest, clearly heading towards a specific destination. It ran into a cave to be greeted by a larger feline with long orange/red coloured fur. Brushing a few wisps of hair off her face, she gave a smile once she saw who arrived.

"Jenny, you're back. Do you have any news for me?" the figure purred.

Jenny meowed in response and told her story as another figure stepped up behind them.

"Katastrophe, I have to wonder if it's safe to send out that mangy cat of yours. Wolverine could potentially smell you on her," the blue-skinned figure told the cat.

"Mystique, you worry too much about this. This 'mangy cat' saw the ones called the Beast and Wolverine out there with no trouble. Even if he did, he wouldn't necessarily link it to me. Cats are naturally around lots of people," Katastrophe replied.

Mystique crossed her arms, giving a shake of her head as she stepped around the two cats. She carefully watched the young woman and wondered how she hadn't become feral already.

"And what exactly do you have planned?" she wondered.

Katastrophe glanced up towards Mystique. She picked up Jenny and began to stroke the cat's head. Once the purring began to fill the cave, Kat gave a smile.

"I plan to create chaos within the X-men," Katastrophe remarked.

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Professor Xavier silently sat in his office when a knock filled his ears. His eyes slowly opened and turned his head towards the door.

"Come in," he called out.

Hank stepped into the room, several papers in hand. The professor fully turned his chair turned towards his old friend.

"What's the matter Hank?" he wondered.

"I'm not too sure what to think of this person who's been attacking people. I've been trying to track him or her for the past several days but with no luck. I've even requested Logan's help and he's had no success although I'm not too sure how much he wanted to aide me. Searching for someone doesn't have enough action for him," Hank replied.

Xavier sighed as he thought about the situation. He placed a hand up to his chin, pondering what to do next. He glanced between the floor and the wall before turning back to Hank.

"Maybe you should go back and try to find something on your own. You could have more luck by yourself," the professor suggested.

Hank nodded in agreement before heading back out the door. The professor closed his eyes for a moment before twirling his head towards the window, sensing someone else in the room. Sitting quietly on the sill outside, was a cat. It stared at him for a few moments before jumping down to the ground. He carefully moved his wheelchair over towards the window and watched the cat move its way across the lawn.

"Most likely a stray looking for food," the professor quietly said.

Suddenly, he sensed another presence outside. It felt different than most he had come across before. This presence was certainly one he hadn't come across before but there was something was nagging at the back of his mind.

"Is it the cat's owner or this new enemy? I can't seem to tell the difference," the professor mused.

Xavier stared out the window for a few more moments to see if he could see someone roaming outside the gates but he saw no one. He gave a deep sigh before leaving the room, never noticing someone climb onto the wall surrounding the school. Katastrophe bared her fangs in a smile that spoke of her intent.

"So I shall now come for you, X-men," she whispered.

TBC…


	2. Rescue

Bearing only a trench coat and hat, Hank McCoy carefully made his way down the street. With his head facing towards the ground, away from the crowd, he was hoping not to bring attention to himself.

"I only wish I could find the one behind these attacks," he muttered.

He was so deep in thought he neglected to take notice of the group of people starting to mill about the area where he was heading towards. Someone bumped into him and he turned with a regretful smile.

"I'm sorry about that," he apologized.

"Sure you are _mutie_!" the man cried.

That got everyone's attention and they began to crowd around him. Whispering began to buzz about the group. Some people were curious while others were clearly outraged.

"Get out of here! You've never been wanted around here!" a woman's voice rang out.

"Yeah, go back where you belong!" a man yelled out.

The screaming and hollering heightened until he felt something connect with his back of his head, knocking off the hat. He twirled around to see it was a partially consumed drink of pop. Others followed suit and tossed random pieces of garbage at him. Hank covered his head with his arms and closed his eyes, trying to protect himself from the onslaught.

"Please listen to me!" Hank tried to tell them.

"If we did, you'd probably sic your friends on us. We're not taking that chance!" someone else yelled.

A growl came from the nearby alleyway and the group fell silent. Hank slowly turned his head enough to see who had arrived but a flash of red flew above him. He twirled around to find a giant cat standing on all fours between him and the crowd.

"I suggest everyone back off or else I shall hurt someone," she hissed.

"Get lost! Neither one of you are wanted around here!" someone yelled at them.

The crowd became even more outraged with the new arrival. They continued with their insults as she climbed to her two hind feet.

"Come on, let's get out of here!" she growled at him.

Hank appeared startled, unable to speak. The newcomer immediately took notice and grabbed his arm, trying to pull him away from the scene.

"Are you deaf? Get your feet moving!" she yelled at him.

She jumped over the group's heads, quickly followed by Hank. He followed her into the alleyway and they rushed through to the other side, leaving the crowd behind in a cloud of dust. The two of them came to rest near a dumpster.

Hank turned towards his new companion and got a better look at her. The first thing he noticed was the completely dark red fur toned down to a normal red with orange strewn within it. She calmly stepped to the edge of the building and gazed over the crowds milling about in the streets.

"Who are you?" he posed.

She glanced towards him and gave a disbelieving laugh. She rolled her eyes slightly as she fully turned back towards him and crossed her arms.

"I think I'm the one who just saved your furry little butt," she replied.

"No, no, no! I'm trying to ask for your name. Do you go through this every time you talk to a member of the opposite sex?" Hank questioned with a smile.

Her features softened, giving a smile before reaching her hand out towards him. He took it and they shook.

"I'm Katastrophe, otherwise known as Katherine," she introduced.

"The Beast, otherwise known as Hank McCoy. Thanks for the help back there. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't come along," he replied.

"I've heard of you and your association with the X-men. I'm curious to know what brings you to this area," she wondered.

She leaned forward, an almost playful look on her face. He slightly narrowed his eye, noting almost immediately that she did not give a last name. The one thing he had immediately taken notice of was the slight southern accent she gave off. In the back of his mind, he was certain that he had heard it somewhere before but where he had indeed heard it was eluding his memory.

"I was…looking for someone when I ran into that crowd," he finally told her.

He wasn't lying and he wasn't about to tell her everything just yet. Hank carefully looked over her and gave a sigh. He did have to admit one thing: she did help him with the crowd back there.

"Well next time, better take the hidden road. I find it works better around this part of town," Katastrophe told him as she leaned up against the wall.

"'This part of town'?" Hank repeated.

"Most people around here don't like mutants and ones with more obvious abilities, like you or me, get their hatred like there was no tomorrow," she explained.

Beast began to open his mouth to say something but he immediately thought against it. In fact, he was a bit unsure what to say. He felt like he had a kindred spirit with this young female mutant. He gave her a smile as she began to carefully move into the street.

"Where are you going?" he wondered.

"We should leave. We are going to be spotted if we stay here for too long. Are you coming?" she told him.

He quickly grasped her elbow before she could leave. The cat glanced back towards the blue furred mutant with a hard look. Her muscles tensed up in reaction to anything that he might've have planned.

"I need to get somewhere that's not far away. Do you think you can lead me there safely?" he asked.

Katastrophe gave him a smile, inwardly knowing that she had him right where she wanted him. She relaxed a bit before looking around at the people milling around nearby.

"Come on, let's go. Show me the way," she told him.

She held out a hand, indicating for him to start moving. Along the way, Hank began to explain where he was going. As soon as Katastrophe heard where he wanted to go, she couldn't help but give a laugh.

"That's a dangerous place to go. Whoever's behind those attacks there may not take kindly to the likes of us either," she said.

Once they arrived at the park, Katastrophe looked around the area. She crossed her arms and gave a look around.

"It's such a peaceful place. I should come here more often," she sighed.

"Better wait until this situation is over. The person behind these attacks might start attacking mutants before we know it," Hank told her.

She nodded and turned to leave until a hand grabbed her elbow. She quickly turned her head around enough to see Hank giving her a smile. Her eyes gave a sense of slight surprise and she quickly inhaled.

"Um…Katastrophe…when can I see you again?" he stammered.

Her muscles eased up at the question and she gave him a wide smile. Katastrophe glanced back towards the buildings surrounding them in the distance.

"Do you know where the Fatina Café is located?" she wondered.

He nodded in response, the smile widening upon his face.

"Meet me there tomorrow at 11 am and don't forget to write," she told him.

She slipped her arm from his grasp and she quickly made her way out of the park and disappeared from sight. He felt a connection with her unlike the other X-men.

'_Maybe I'm getting a little emotional but there's something about her I like. Perhaps it's because of her physical appearance and we have that in common,' _he thought.

He turned his back towards the gate, never noticing two figures watching him from a distance. Katastrophe had her arms folded in front her as a man stood next to her. The man changed into a familiar blue-skinned, red-haired woman. Mystique turned her attention towards her friend and they both snickered.

"Good work Mystique. Now I've managed to get myself noticed and into his sights. The next step is to plant seeds of distrust and then have them turn against each other," the cat snickered.

TBC…


	3. An Understanding

Hank silently stepped through the front door only to be greeted by Rogue and Gambit. The Cajun gave a witty smile as he placed a hand around her waist.

"Where 'ave you been, Beast? We expected you to be back here a long time ago," Gambit mused.

"I was over at the park again, checking things out. It took me a little longer than before to get there," Hank replied.

He hesitated for he wasn't certain if he should mention about his new acquaintance. He wasn't sure how they would react to someone who seemed so street smart. After a few seconds, Hank inwardly kicked himself for he remembered several of his team mates were just like her.

"What's wrong Beast? I've never seen you so quiet about this. Has something happened, sugah?" wondered Rogue.

"Nothing is wrong Rogue, I just have a lot on my mind right now. Now if you'll excuse me," Hank told them.

He moved around them and began to make his way to his room. The two watched him leave before Gambit stepped forward, crossing his arms and giving a smirk.

"Dat's odd for Beast. Wonder wat's got his fur in a knot," he said.

"Yeah, you're right. I know he's eager to find out who's behind these attacks and see if they're working for anyone," Rogue agreed. "Perhaps he's working too hard on it."

Gambit nodded in agreement as they watched Hank McCoy head down the hallway, both wondering what was going through his mind.

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Hank McCoy stepped through the door and sat on his bed. His thoughts wandered back to the day's events and to Katastrophe. She appeared to be very intelligent and outgoing, despite her appearance.

'_The Fatina Café at 11 tomorrow? Definitely works for me,' _he thought.

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It was creeping along much too slowly for Hank as he patiently waited at a table for his new companion. His two main worries was that he would be noticed as a mutant once again and that Katastrophe, otherwise known as Katherine, would not show up. He stirred the spoon in his mug of coffee, taking a moment before noticing movement beside him. Glancing up, he Hank saw that she had indeed arrived.

"It's good to see you again," he told her.

"I'm glad you showed up. For a moment, I didn't think you were going to come," Katherine mused.

Hank smiled as she sat in the chair. The waitress soon arrived to take her order and he watched the entire conversation. After the woman had left, Kat turned back toward Hank and returned the smile he was giving.

"You are different than most people I've met. A lot of people want to tear me apart simply because I look different," she told him.

"Probably because I have similar problems to what you have. I find it difficult to move around sometimes, despite the fact I'm well known as a doctor," Hank replied.

Katherine carefully watched him as he continued to talk, engrossed with what he was saying. A smile crept onto her face as she quickly realized that all he wanted was to be friends. After a few moments, he stopped and looked at her with a toothy grin, which she returned.

"So…do you go out often?" she finally asked.

"I do try. Sometimes, it isn't easy to with the appearances," he told her.

She gulped down the last of her drink before climbing to her feet. She watched Hank as he sat in the chair.

"I find it's getting too crowded in here. Would you like to go for a walk?" she asked him.

Hank couldn't help but smile as he stood up and followed her out the door. They started their way down the street.

"Listen, I keep hearing rumours about you and the others. Are any of them true?" she asked.

Hank thought for a moment, as he thought about the ones that even he remembered hearing before shaking his head.

"Out of the ones that I know, none whatsoever. What I would like to know is more about you. Where are from? Have you any family?" replied Hank.

Katherine gave a smile as she heard the questions pour out of his mouth and wondered for a split second about what she was planning to do in the hopes for a real friend. She quickly looked around before pulling Hank into a nearby alley and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Hank, I have no family. Every last one of them abandoned me by the time I finished changing. Where I've been no longer matters now that I've met you," she purred into his ear.

Hank wondered if anyone could tell that he was blushing underneath his blue fur. He gently grasped her arms and removed them. Katherine backed into the nearby wall, her stare aimed towards the ground.

"I am sorry. I shouldn't have said that," she apologized.

"You're young yet. Now, where were we going again?" Hank replied.

Kat gave him a smile as he stepped out and began to walk down the street once more. She quickly followed him. As they continued their walk, a question popped into his mind. He glanced back at Katherine, the curiosity getting the better of him.

"May I walk you home?" Hank finally asked.

Katherine grinned at the question, almost as if she were expecting it.

"I'm afraid not. I'm currently staying with a friend. She wouldn't want me to bring home fellow mutants for she doesn't want to be discovered to be harbouring me. It's only temporary and I know I'll soon be back on the streets," Katherine explained.

Hank thought about what she said for a moment. A small smiled crossed his face as an idea popped into his head.

00000

"Do you realize what you're proposing, Hank? You just met this woman," Wolverine demanded.

"Yes, I do. I'm requesting that we help someone who needs it, a fellow mutant even. I'm not suggesting we bring her here. At least not yet, if at all. I realize that would be a security risk for all of us," Hank explained.

The others were also gathered with the room, all carefully watching Hank in the midst of his proposal.

"I don't like the looks of this Hank. For all we know, she could be the one behind the attacks," Cyclops told him.

"I might be able to tell if she were there or not if I had a good sniff of her. I can at least tell you that field absolutely reeked of _someone's _scent," Wolverine put in.

Hank gave a deep sigh as he returned each of the stares upon him. His attention landed upon the professor, who had a stern glare upon his face.

"I don't think she's the one though. I mean, she did come to my rescue against the mob and she appeared to take a partiality to me almost immediately," Hank explained.

Xavier gave a deep sigh as he slowly shook his head. Hank nodded, understanding what he was being told, simply not having a fondness for it.

"Then I shall go explain to her your decision. Now, if you'll excuse me," Hank finally said.

The group watched him go before Cyclops turned back to the professor. A worried stare had crossed his face.

"What was that all about, Professor? I've never seen him like this about someone he just met," he asked.

"It may be something that none of us truly understand, Scott, since our powers aren't as obvious to the general public. He may have taken a liking to her as a friend since she apparently has something in common with him: the physical appearance. We just may see him demonstrate further things that we aren't expecting to see from him," Xavier explained.

He carefully watched Hank walk down the hallway as he spoke, hoping that he wasn't getting himself into a heap of trouble. He slowly turned his attention back to the others and gave a deep sigh.

TBC…


	4. Switcheroo Time

Katherine patiently waited in her rendezvous point with Hank. She knew that he was trying to get the help from his fellow X-men, but she somehow knew that weren't going to do anything for her. Oddly enough, she found herself telling the truth with Hank. The only problem was that the 'friend' she mentioned was Mystique and she knew they didn't along well.

"I'm positive I have him where I want him though," she purred.

Soon, she heard footsteps in the distance and recognized them as Hank's. She remembered how gently he had moved before, despite his bigger size. As he moved closer, he began to look for her before his stare turned upwards and smiled.

"I'm afraid I have bad news, Kat; they won't help. They say it's too much of a security risk since we hardly know you," Hank explained.

Deciding not to further the subject, he took a few steps away from her, uncertain how things should proceed.

"I only wish they could understand what we go through every day. My friends don't have a constant reminder of why we have to hide," Hank finally said.

"They never will completely understand Hank, despite being different themselves. We have to hide even more than what they do. I've found that if you want to have allies, you have to team up with those who have the same problem and forget the rest," Kat told him.

Hank gave a deep breath as he listened to what she had to say, his mind filled with questions and concerns. He slowly realized that going to his comrades this early was potentially a bad idea.

"Listen Hank, I know we just met but I can assure you that if you ever need help, I will be there for you. Just because they don't trust me doesn't mean you shouldn't either," Kat told him.

Hank gave a sigh, nodding his head. He wished her well and hoped he could see her again the next day. She said she would be there and Hank began to make his way back to the mansion. She crossed her arms and gave a deep sigh, never noticing someone walk up behind her. As soon as Hank was out of earshot, the newcomer gave a snicker.

"Well, that worked well in your favour. Chances are you'll never see him again," she sarcastically mused.

"Wait for it Mystique. He seemed a bit distraught when he told me they wouldn't help. I think he'd like for us to be friends. He'll be back to at least talk to me, that I know for certain," Kat replied.

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For the next few days, Hank couldn't stop thinking about Kat and what she was going to do next. He found himself sitting outdoors, watching the others play basketball. He was trying to read a book but found he was unable to focus on the words. Hank was broken out of his reverie when the ball zoomed past his head.

"Watch out Hank, you almost got hit with that," Logan told him.

"Sorry, I've just had a lot on my mind," he replied.

Logan stepped over to the blue-furred mutant, a mild look of disbelief on his face. Gambit stood behind him, a smirk written over his face.

"Hank, are you still thinking about Cat Girl? Listen to me, she's not worth it. If anything, she's probably just trying to get into your pants," Logan snarled.

Hank gave a disbelieving stare at the suggestion. Gambit stepped up beside him and placed a comforting hand in Hank's shoulder.

"Listen to Gambit, Beast. If you still wonder wat's gonna happen with her, see her and talk to 'er. Da problem won't go away sitting 'ere reading a book," Gambit told him. "Just remember dat you still accepted me after I came along."

"Now that's debateable," Logan quietly said.

Hank listened to the Cajun's advice and wondered if that's what he should do. He glanced between his fellow X-men and climbed to his feet before heading into the mansion.

"Think one of us should follow him?" Logan asked.

"Yeah but I don't tink it should be you. I can safely follow 'im without bein' noticed," Gambit told him.

The claws embedded within his arm swiftly popped into the Cajun's view.

"Are you implying that I can't be quiet?" he demanded.

"_Non_, I'm not saying that, _mon ami_ but I am a professional at dis type of thing," Gambit replied.

Without another thought, he hurried into the mansion to get changed, leaving behind a slightly irritated Logan behind.

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Hank walked down the street, unaware that he had a follower. He was intent in going to one place, in hopes that she would be there. He walked through the door and looked around the building. A smile crossed his face once he saw Katherine sitting at a table with another woman. After a few seconds, she finally looked up and saw him standing at the door and smiled. She waved and motioned for him to move closer.

"Misty, this is the one I told you about. This is Hank," Katherine told her friend.

"It's nice to finally meet you Hank," the woman said.

She held out her hand, which Hank quickly accepted. He gave the young woman a look over. The fiery redhead was not much older than her companion and quite attractive.

"What brings you here?" asked Katherine.

"I was simply hoping to talk to you for a few minutes," he replied.

An innocent grin crossed his face as he glanced between the two. Misty had taken that as her cue and climbed to her feet.

"I'll leave you two alone. I'll be outside when you're done," she said.

She walked out the door without a second glance. The blue-furred mutant narrowed his eyes slightly before he sat down next to the feline.

"So what can I help you with Hank?" she finally asked.

"I just wanted to tell you that if you ever did need help, that I'll do what I can," he told her.

"Won't your friends be upset with you? After all, they believe I'm a threat," she pointed out to him.

That little detail hadn't strayed far from his mind as Katherine climbed to her feet. After dropping some change onto the table she gave him a smile.

"This place is getting to be a bit crowded for my taste. Would you like to go for a walk?" she wondered.

He nodded as he got up to follow her.

00000

Gambit watched Hank as he walked into the café and up to one of the tables. Once the one left, he saw him talk to the one still at the table before they headed out themselves. Carefully, he eyed them turn around a nearby corner and began to follow them. Once he reached the edge of the corner, he found himself almost running into Hank.

"Gambit, what brings you here?" he wondered.

"I was only lookin' out for you Beast. I was worried that she might attack you or someting like that," Gambit replied.

Hank smiled as he stepped away from the corner, leading his friend and comrade back in the direction of the mansion.

"Well, you don't have to worry about me. I feel safe around her and I was simply escorting her to her place nearby. Come on, let's head back to the mansion," he replied.

As they headed away from the scene, Gambit stole one last look back at the corner that Hank had disappeared into and reappeared from. Something wasn't adding up in his mind but he willingly went with Hank.

00000

Gambit walked through the doors only to be greeted by Storm and Rogue.

"Why hello there, sugah. Logan told me how you went after Hank. How is he doing?" wondered Rogue.

"I did follow 'im, _cher_. He got not'ing to worry about from dis one he friends with. She is as 'armless as dey come," Gambit assured them. "I expect dat he be home soon enough."

Gambit walked past them without another word, as looks of worry crossed both of their faces. Rogue tried to move closer but Storm stopped her. Rogue turned enough to look at her African friend, who narrowed her eyes as they watched Gambit disappear around the corner.

"What's wrong Storm?" she finally asked.

Storm soon released the woman as a smile crossed her face.

"Nothing serious, Rogue. Just...suspicions," Storm replied.

00000

He groaned as he groggily opened his eyes. As his vision began to clear, a figure formed in front of him against a black background.

"Wakey, wakey. You won't want to miss what I have to say," a female voice called out to him.

His eyes finally snapped open to be greeted by the feline face he had seen earlier. He tried to move closer to her but was stopped as he realized he was standing against the rockface, chained by his hands by the cieling and his fet to the floor.

"No sense trying to escape, Cajun. Your hands are bound in chains that prohibit your powers, which is good for me," she purred.

"Where am I?" demanded Gambit.

"You're in my home, where you're going to stay until I can get the Beast where I want him," she replied.

Gambit shook off the last of the dizziness as he finally looked around at what she called her 'home'. He cringed for it was nothing more than a cave. His stare returned to the mutant standing in front of him.

"Wat do you want wit' Beast? Who do you work for?" he wanted to know.

"My, my, all these questions all at once. You might know, within time. All you need to know right now is that my friend is helping me complete my mission as we speak by making the seeds of distrust that I've already planted grow even more," she explained.

Gambit snorted and opened his mouth to ask how that was even possible until it clicked in.

"You are friends wit' a shape shifter, _non_?" he asked.

The smile on Kat's face went from ear to ear as he finally clued in as to what was happening. A laugh escaped her lips as she knelt down beside him.

"How do they tink dey going to get past Wolverine? He smell dem as soon as dey walk inside," the Cajun protested.

The grin on the cat's face widened even further, making Gambit's stomach tie into a knot.

"Not when they're wearing your precious duster in addition to a lotion we've discovered that will not only mask their scent but amplify your own from your own clothes," she laughed. "And there's nothing you can do to stop us."

TBC…


	5. A Tense Meeting

The Beast walked through the door and glanced around the hallway. He inwardly sighed for no one else appeared to know he had been gone and he was happy for that. He really didn't want the others to know just yet with what he was doing.

"I only wish they would trust her more. At least give her a chance to prove herself. It's true she could have some part in the attacks but I don't understand why she would help me if she were," he muttered.

He began to head towards his room, taking his hat off along the way. Footsteps soon filled his ears and Rogue stepped into the hallway from her room. She didn't see him at first because of a book she was reading.

"Hello Rogue," he finally said.

Rogue glanced up from the book and a smile crossed her face.

"Oh, Hank. You startled me there. Didn't think you were going to be back in time for the meeting," she said.

"Oh, what makes you think I would've been longer?" he wondered.

"Logan told Storm and I where you were going darlin'. I really do hope that you made some sort of consolation with her," Rogue replied.

Hank gave a smile and Rogue swore she could see a hint of sadness in his face. He motioned for her to move and they headed towards the meeting together. Rogue couldn't help but think there was more going on than what he let on.

00000

Gambit walked through the mansion with relative ease, taking in every detail he could for he knew that he might bump into either the professor or Wolverine, which could jeopardize the entire situation.

'_I'm glad Kat knows the risk I'm putting myself in for her,' _he thought.

He soon came across Cyclops, who evidently had an upset look upon his face.

"Where have you been, Gambit? Have you forgotten about the meeting?" he demanded.

"Of course not, _mon ami_. I was just coming as we speak," Gambit replied.

Cyclops watched as the Cajun walked through the doors. Inside the room, he found everyone else, including the Beast.

'_Now to see of this stuff actually works,'_ he thought.

He stood just inside the door and leaned against the wall, carefully eying the others. The two he was worried about the most right now were the professor and Wolverine. Charles Xavier was in the middle of the group about to talk to them while the diminutive Canadian stood on the other side of the room.

"Listen everyone, I know some of you are concerned about recent events with Magneto but hopefully, we'll be able to talk things through before he lands another assault on someone else," Xavier told them.

Gambit carefully watched the group, waiting for the moment of attack. He listened to what the professor had to say concerning Magneto and what he thought the mutant's plans were.

"Why are we even botherin' with Magneto anyway? We get nowhere every time we see 'im," he suddenly blurted out.

The entire group glanced in his direction, wondering what was going through his mind. Wolverine stepped forward, arms crossed.

"If Magneto ain't a threat, Gumbo, I'd like to hear why you suddenly think so," he snarled.

"Magneto always executes his plans, we foil dem, and then he start all over again with someting else. Wat's da point of it all? We'll never be able to stop 'im. Besides, how do we know he hasn't started anyting already?" he replied.

Gambit stepped up to Wolverine, the moment of truth now upon him. His claws emerged from their hiding spot and Wolverine simply stood there, an angry growl emitting from his throat.

"We'll deal with this later Cajun," Wolverine growled at him.

Gambit gave a sigh of relief as he retracted his claws and walked away. The Cajun retreated back to the door, away from the group and crossed his arms. He carefully listened in on the group and the topic slowly shifted.

"Hank, have you made any progress on who's behind the attacks?" Xavier asked the blue-furred mutant.

"Unfortunately, I've made no progress in finding the culprit. The attacks, as bizarre as they are in nature, have given me no leads as to who it might be," Hank replied.

"Are you certain your new girlfriend can't help you?" Wolverine smirked.

Hank blushed as the word 'girlfriend' popped up into the conversation. He looked around at the group to find odd looks on their faces before he landed on the professor, who patiently waited for an explanation.

"It's the young woman I told you about earlier. She lives around that area and she might have seen or heard something," Hank finally told them.

"Right, the one you wanted us to help. I still don't think we should trust anything she says just yet," Cyclops said.

Gambit took another chance by stepping forward. Wolverine carefully eyed him, wondering what kind of move the Cajun would pull now.

"I with da Beast. She could 'elp a lot wit dis if given da chance," Gambit smiled.

Rogue narrowed her eyes as she stepped up to his side, placing a hand on his shoulder. She carefully looked him over as if trying to find something wrong with his appearance.

"Wat's wrong _chere_? You no like me now?" he asked her.

She sighed before shaking her head and facing the others. She found they were not scrutinizing her and she hoped she would not regret what she was about to say.

"I have to agree with Gambit. Sure, we don't know her and all, but there also has to be a certain amount of trust involved. I'd like to meet her first and then decide whether or not she may be connected with these attacks," she told them.

The others glanced at each other, uncertain how to respond. No one else said a word for several longs moments before the professor moved his chair forward.

"If you feel you must do this, I would advise caution Rogue. If anything, I suggest you meet her and bring your opinion back to us and then from there, we may reconsider our position to help her but just remember that she may deceive you somehow," he warned her.

Rogue nodded, giving a sigh of relief knowing that not everyone was against her decision to voice her opinion. Cyclops had a stern look on his face, his arms crossed as he looked around at the trio. Storm appeared to be worried and she couldn't tell with Jean.

"We'll discuss this further once we have all the information. You're all dismissed," Xavier told them.

He watched as they walked out the room and once Wolverine reached the door, he heard his name being called out.

"Oh Wolverine, could you stay behind one last moment? I have a question for you," Xavier called out to him.

Wolverine stopped and watched the others leave completely before stepping back to the professor.

00000

Gambit went slack in his restraints. He found his arms ached from the prolonged time within them. He breathed deeply as the cat dropped her arm from his neck and backed away from him.

"My leader will be very happy when I deliver you to him. I shall prepare you for your upcoming questioning with him," she purred.

"Watever... you plan...to do...to me...get it over wit. I won't... tell you anyting," he gasped.

She forcibly grasped his shoulders and he could feel the claws even through his clothes. Gambit wouldn't be surprised if she did draw blood. Retracting her claws, she moved her hands down his chest before reaching his abdomen and punching him hard, sucked the air out of Gambit lungs for several long seconds.

"You and your friends will see the light for there is no place for us in this world as long as people exist who are repulsed by our mere existence," Kat told him.

She knelt down by his face and gave him a smile. Placing her fingers on his chin, she forced him to look at her.

"Listen to me well, X-man. I do not care about you or any of your friends. Most of you do not have to hide like I do and you will talk to me sooner or later," she quietly said.

Gambit carefully shook his head as he gritted his teeth. He wished he could use his powers, then he'd be long gone and tell the others what was going on. He watched as she reached down to the ground beside him and finally noticed the knife sitting within her hands.

"I really don't want to use this but if you do not cooperate, then I may have no choice in the matter," she told him. "It's up to you."

"It may be up to him but that doesn't mean they won't find us," came a familiar voice.

Kat looked to mouth of the cave to see Gambit's doppelganger standing there. As he walked into the cave, he slowly changed back into Mystique and she crossed her arms.

"They suspect something about me already, despite the fact that couldn't quite detect my presence. At least nothing that Wolverine or Xavier immediately let on," she sighed.

"At least we know that lotion masks your scent. We both know Wolverine at least would have jumped you the moment he realized it was you," Kat replied.

Mystique glanced at their prisoner, who appeared to be a bit worse for wear and snickered. She knew Kat was going to have fun with this one.

"By the way, the Beast mentioned he wants to talk to you again, only this time, he'll have Rogue with him. She somehow sided with him during the meeting," the shape shifter warned her.

"All the better. Shall we go find them?" Kat wondered.

TBC...


	6. True or False?

Sorry!

00000

A figure silently crept through the trees. He faintly heard voices surrounding him and they were talking about their captive and what was to come concerning the X-men. Carefully, he stepped to the mouth of the cave. He watched for a few seconds as the two women hovered over an injured man.

"So what is the plan? You may have gotten yourself noticed but what is going to happen from there?" he sternly asked.

The two twirled around, caught off-guard by the sudden presence. They gulped as he made his way further inside the cave. They took a few steps away from the X-man, wondering if they should leave him for the newcomer.

"Magneto, we were not expecting you so soon," breathed Katastrophe. "I am soon going to meet with Beast and Rogue. I was hoping to be able to pull off some sweet talk to do some convincing to her."

Magneto didn't say a word as he walked over to the prisoner and scrutinized him from head to toe. He found that Gambit was a lot more hard looking than what he normally saw the man. His hair was in a total mess, flopping down in front of his face, which was adorned with scratches. Claw marks adorned his body and some looked pretty serious.

"Have you managed to get any information out of him?" he demanded.

The two women shook their heads. Magneto motioned for them to back up, which they immediately complied. The Cajun gasped for air before he lifted his head long enough to see who had arrived and a snarl crept onto his face.

"I never tell your _chatte_ anyt'ing and I don't plan to tell you either," Gambit gasped.

"You should be lucky, X-man. I've known Katastrophe for several years and I've never seen her to be this lenient with anyone before. Many others that have dealt with my dear _'chatte' _ended up in a coffin," Magneto mused before turning to the two women. "Kat, I have been waiting and now am growing very impatient. I plan to help speed up the process to get you into the mansion. You are going to have a small chat with Rogue and Beast but not the way you initially planned. Get him up for we're going to bring him with us. I have an idea."

Mystique nodded as Kat unlocked the shackles on Gambit's feet and removed his hands, casing and all from the wall. They jerked him to his feet and forced him to walk despite the immense pain he was feeling. He gave a small grimace as he thought about what his friends were about to walk into.

00000

"So what is it Chuck? I've got a southern lady and a furry man to follow," Wolverine snorted.

The professor ignored the usual nickname as he thought about what had recently transpired within the small group meeting. He thought about Gambit's somewhat puzzling actions. Without making any sudden movements, he turned his attention to Wolverine.

"Did Gambit seem at all - unusual - to you today?" he wondered.

"The Cajun always seems weird to me," Wolverine replied. "But if you're talking more strange than usual, then yeah, I agree with you. Plus I don't know who or what the heck he was around lately either."

Xavier perked up in interest at the statement. He was hoping that Wolverine would give him the confirmation he needed right now for a theory that he was formulating. He patiently waited for the diminutive man to continue. He was nervous yet eager to what Wolverine would tell him.

"I had a good whiff of 'em if that's what you're wondering. Odd thing is, he still smelled the same as he usually does but there was something a little different about the man just the same. I just can't place it yet. Did you sense anything with 'em?" he said.

"I tried to sense his mind to see if there was any indication to his intent but something was blocking me. Even more so than normal. Either he's been replaced by a shape shifter or he's learned to block his mind to me more than usual," the professor replied.

Wolverine couldn't help but laugh at the theories but soon stopped as he thought about the two possibilities. One of them was soon enough nagging at his mind.

"Professor, I don't know if I quite believe the shape shifter theory. I'd smell 'em as soon as they walked through the door. Only way they'd get in here would be if they could effectively mask their scent from me somehow, which is hard to do," Wolverine voiced.

"I know. That idea is scaring me," the professor replied.

00000

Rogue and Hank walked down the street and she took notice of the surroundings as they moved on to the cafe.

"What can you tell me about this lady, Hank?" Rogue asked.

"Well, I found her to be very helpful and nice. She could potentially help use in the long run, even if she didn't stay at the mansion. I only wish there was a way I could show the others she means no harm," Hank replied.

Before Rogue could reply, a loud BANG! caught their ears and screaming began to fill the air. People started to run away from a section of buildings not too far away and the two X-men ran towards the commotion. They didn't see at first what was happening and then they saw him, filling Rogue with an intense amount of anger.

"Gambit!" she cried out.

The Cajun was hovering behind Magneto, a bloodied and battered mess as they moved through the air. Rogue's attention was quickly brought down to earth as she heard the firing of a gun and a blaze of fire and she saw a crowd of people quickly running from Mystique and Pyro.

"Mr. McCoy, Rogue, how nice of you to join us in our little soiree," Magneto's voice called to the two X-men.

Hank and Rogue watched the older man move closer to them. They quickly took to defensive stances, not know what to expect.

"Let Gambit go now!" Rogue demanded, a snarl creeping into her voice.

"Why should I? So you can have some fun? If you would to have him back, you're going to have to take him by force!" he replied.

A wall of fire rose up in front of the two and Rogue stood in front of Hank to shield him from the flames. As it died down, she looked to see Mystique aiming her gun directly at her. Rogue thought she could see the mildest of regret behind her hardened features. The shape shifter gulped, fully knowing what she was about to do. She glanced up at Magneto, who continued to hover above the tiny crowd.

"You are most fortunate X-men, for you have seen how much your friend has suffered already. He will be suffering even more soon enough," Magneto told them.

Rogue growled as she prepared herself to fly towards the duo when Hank placed an arm in front of her, essentially holding her back.

"What do you want from us?" Beast demanded to know.

He fully knew that Magneto would want something in return for Gambit's release, he was just afraid to what it might be.

"Tell Xavier I'd like to meet with him at the nearby park in four days time at sundown. He is to come alone and then I will bargain for your precious X-man's release," Magneto replied.

Both Hank and Rogue gulped, fully knowing that was the area with the current mutant attacks. They knew that they could be very well be asking the professor to walk into a trap. Magneto motioned to the nearby Pyro, who began to fire up his display. Rogue and Hank ran in opposite directions in order to avoid the flames. Hank thought he felt the fire singe his fur a bit. No sooner than he stopped, he looked up to find he was staring down the barrel of a gun.

"How did you even get him like this? Gambit has never been the easy to capture," Hank demanded.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Mystique wondered.

She pressed down on the trigger when a flash of red and orange streaked by the corner of her eye. Not turning her head, she knew exactly who it was and a guilty feeling settled into her gut as she fired the gun.

"No!" came Rogue's voice.

The next thing Hank knew, he felt his body forcibly connect with the ground. He twirled around to find Kat kneeling next to him.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"W-what?" he stuttered.

"Are you alright?" Kat repeated, keeping her stare in Mystique's direction.

He nodded his head as he climbed to his feet. Hank glanced over at Rogue, facing off against Pyro. Kat stood up herself and began to walk towards the shape shifter.

"Leave him alone, otherwise I will come after you," Kat warned her.

"Whoever you are, you make idle threats. I have no quarrel with you. Leave now and no harm will come to you," Mystique snarled back.

She was still aiming her gun as the cat and neither one moved. Hank carefully watched the two women as Kat climbed down to all fours. Her fur intensified to a deep shade of red and her body seemed to change to the structure of an actual cat. She lunged forward, catching Mystique off-guard. The blue coloured woman managed to get in a couple shots before Kat quickly forced her to a nearby building and jumped up to pin her against the wall. She grabbed the gun in her teeth, rendering it inoperable and tossing it to the ground. Kat backed off, growling as she carefully watched Mystique.

"Now get away from here before I decide to do something else," Kat growled.

Meanwhile, Rogue has taken down Pyro and was now watching the scene before her. She finally looked up to see Magneto has left and when she returned her stare the side of the building, Mystique had fled the scene as well. Rogue watched the newcomer as her fur toned back down to its normal colour.

"You must be Kat. I've heard so much about you," Rogue told her.

"I am her. It is nice to meet you," the cat replied.

"You manage to show up at the nick of time again. It's like you're looking out for me or something," Hank mused, a smile upon his face.

She smiled back as she staggered a bit. Placing a hand up to her face, she appeared to be in distress. As Hank grasped her arms in order to steady her, he was received with a pool of blood forming on her shoulder and she subsequently passed out into his arms.

"It was when Mystique fired the gun. She took the bullet for me," Hank sighed.

"Of course. I remember hearing it go off," Rogue agreed.

Soon, the sound of police sirens filled the air. The two glanced at each other before silently agreeing that they should get out of there. Rogue took to the air as Hank bounded from the scene, a limp Kat in his arms.

TBC...


	7. Slow Relizations

Scott and Jean stepped out to the main door, quietly laughing between each other. A grin adorned Scott's face as they passed through the area.

"Is that what actually happened? It would've been funny to see something that," he said.

"Would I lie to you Scott? It played out just like I told you," she told him.

Jean soon stole a quick glance at the nearby clock, taking notice of the time and Scott followed her gaze.

"Wondering when Hank and Rogue are going to be back?" questioned Scott.

"Yes, I'm eager to hear what Rogue thinks of Hank's new friend. I'd just like to put my mind at ease about this whole situation," she replied.

Another smile was passed between then when a loud knock filled their ears. No sooner had they glanced over to see what was happening, than Rogue and Hank burst through the door and the two immediately took notice of the limp figure in his arms.

"What happened?" demanded Scott.

"As we were headin' to meet up with her, Magneto, Pyro and Mystique decided to show up and started shootin' up the place. Kat here ended up takin' a bullet to the shoulder while helpin' Hank," Rogue angrily explained.

Jean quickly followed Hank to the infirmary while Rogue and Scott lingered behind. She had her arms crossed, obviously agitated.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go get them!" she demanded.

"Hang on for a second Rogue: why should we go after them this quickly? It's not like they haven't done something like this before," Scott wondered.

Rogue mentally kicked herself for leaving out that piece of information but was so angry, she forgot to mention a few important details.

"Cyclops, they have Gambit and he's hurt. Badly," replied Rogue.

The leader couldn't believe his ears as he narrowed his eyes. The confusion was clear on his face and Rogue noticed it as she looked back at him.

"I know what you're thinkin'. I don't know how they captured him either and so quickly too. I mean, he was just at the meetin' a couple hours ago," she told him.

"Yes, it is more than a bit worrisome to hear this. Gambit's not an easy one to take down," agreed Cyclops. "What else can you tell me?"

Rogue sighed as the words that Magneto spoke came back to the forefront of her mind. She looked back towards the door, hesitating for a few moments before finally turning back to man patiently waiting for her to respond.

"I've got to talk to the professor," she finally said.

00000

Jean opened the door, allowing Hank to hurry inside. He gently placed Kat on the nearest table and took a look at her shoulder.

"It doesn't appear to be too serious, which is good. Must have passed out from the shock," he sighed.

Jean carefully watched as he cleaned and dressed the wound. As he turned to face her, the telepath crossed her arms and stared at the cat with a curious look.

"What's wrong Jean?" he asked her.

"I'm not certain. I'm trying to sense her mind but all I seem to be getting is sorrow and anguish," she replied.

The Beast looked over the human feline and wondered what could be going through her mind. He made a note to question her later as he looked over her prone form. After determining she was fine for the moment, he lead Jean out of the room and closed the door behind them.

00000

"Are you certain it was indeed Gambit?" Xavier asked her.

"Not unless Magneto's recently became acquainted with another shape shifter that we don't know about, I'm positive. Hank and I saw Mystique ourselves," Rogue replied.

This news was greatly troubling the professor. He was trying to put the pieces together but wasn't coming up with a viable solution or timeline with what Rogue and Hank had witnessed with what he observed earlier that day concerning Gambit. Wolverine stood nearby, arms crossed and unusually quiet for the moment.

"I have to wonder where Gambit was even going so quickly after the meeting. If he was as dishevelled as you say he was, they hit him hard after they got him. Hopefully, I'll be able to ask our guest some questions when she wakes up. In the meantime, let's try to figure out something for when I go negotiate for his release," he told the group.

Everyone nodded before they began to mill out of the room. Hank was one of the last ones to leave when he heard his name being called. He turned around to look at the professor, a worried look on his face. Hank waited until the room was empty before closing the door.

"Yes, Professor?" he said.

"Hank, how well do you know your friend?" asked Xavier.

Hank wasn't sure if he should be surprised by the question or not but he thought about his answer for a moment before he opened his mouth.

"Professor, I may have only known her a couple days but I found her to be a troubled young woman who has no home and almost no friends. Seeing that we have something similar in common - the outward appearance - I can see why she wanted to help me. In fact, I think she might even have a slight infatuation with me. All I ask is for more time to get to know her and find out what she is up to," he replied.

After a few seconds, a smile crossed his face as he realized what the professor was asking of him.

"Even though she did help me, you're worried she might go wandering where she shouldn't be," he finally stated. "Please give me a chance to talk to her first."

Xavier couldn't help but give a small sigh. Hank was a good friend that he sometimes forgot that the blue furred mutant had to hide under normal circumstances.

"Very well then. Until a decision is made, you will act as her guardian. Just be careful of anything she may say, do or go during her stay with us and keep her away from the lower parts of the mansion," Xavier reminded him.

Hank nodded, a small smile creeping onto his face before turning to leave the room. As he left, Xavier still couldn't shake the feeling that something was greatly amiss.

00000

Magneto watched Gambit as he lay in a heap at the back of the cave. Mystique stood behind him, arms crossed and a curious look on her face.

"Why give her four days to deal with them? She may not even need that much time," she finally piped up.

"You know her well enough that she will bide her time if she has to and if she's successful, Dr. Hank McCoy will begin to have doubts. You should know what it feels like to not quite belong anywhere," Magneto replied.

Mystique decided not to say another word as she remained where she was standing. She watched as Magneto turned to leave and he stopped right next to her ear before he left.

"Just remember one thing: we need keep him alive. Xavier values each and every member of his team and might not appreciate us allowing him to die for no apparent reason. Even though he could be considered a great fear for us as he could still identify Kat, he is still our bargaining tool. Is that understood?" he quietly told her.

Mystique barely gulped before nodding her head. She didn't even watch him leave the cave as Gambit began to move within his confines. He lifted his head enough to remember where he was.

"You'll...never win," he managed to sputter out.

"You've never dealt with Katastrophe before, Gambit. She usually gets what she wants. Right now, she's with the other members of your team at the mansion, with her sights squarely sitting on your blue-furred friend," Mystique explained to him before kneeling as close as she could to him. "And she's got him exactly where she wants him."

The statement made it through the Cajun's fuzzy mind and his worry for Hank greatly increased as he realized what exactly was happening.

TBC...


End file.
